


Flying Blind

by Angylsmuse, Orithain



Series: Fourth Pass [18]
Category: Dragonriders of Pern - Anne McCaffrey
Genre: Alternate Fourth Pass, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-14
Updated: 2017-01-14
Packaged: 2018-09-17 11:58:51
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,925
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9322601
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Angylsmuse/pseuds/Angylsmuse, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Orithain/pseuds/Orithain
Summary: Dragonrider meets healer who thinks dragonriders take too many risks with their own safety.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted August 2001.

Journeyman Healer Verrin stalked out of the inner chamber of Brownrider C’ross’ weyr, violet eyes flashing sparks, coppery hair practically standing on end, snarling, “Sharding idiot of a dragonrider!” He slammed a tray down on a table, kicking the leg in frustration. “If you even _try_ to get on that dragon, I’ll chain you to the bed!” he yelled toward the sleeping chamber. “You need to let your eyes heal, you idiot!”

“What I _need_ is to get out of this sharding weyr. I’m going stir crazy! I want to feel the sun, eat dinner with my wingmates, listen to a harper - have fun, shardit! You do know what fun is, healer?” the young dragonrider bellowed back as he groped in the dark for his favorite flight jacket.

Rin picked up the tray again and threw it against a wall. “I know what fun is. Do _you_ have any idea what damage sunlight could do to your injured eyes, you fool?” he practically screamed as he stomped back into the sleeping chamber. “ _If_ you do what I tell you, your eyes will heal in a another sevenday or so. But if you feel it so necessary to go out in the sun now, by all means, feel free. You’ll only be blind for the rest of your life, but that’s a small price to pay,” he snarled into Cay’s face.

Cay suddenly crumbled and whispered in a painful voice, “I just don’t like being helpless, and I’m scared, okay?”

Rin sighed, deflating instantly. “I know, C’ross. I do understand. But you scare me when you do crazy things. If you let me help you, you’ll be able to see as well as you ever did. But you have to do what I tell you. There’s a reason I spent ten Turns at the healerhall, you know. Let me help you.”

“I’ve always had to take care of myself. I’m not sure I know how to let someone else do it,” the younger man whispered quietly, then swallowed quite audibly. “Teach me how?”

Rin tentatively placed an arm around the dragonrider’s shoulders, hugging him. “Just sit back and relax, and let me do things for you. A little less cursing and throwing things would also help,” he teased gently.

Cay gave a wan attempt at a smile. “Hey, was just trying to use my other senses to the best of their abilities... and to hit a moving target,” he snickered.

Verrin snorted. “Wonderful. I suggest you find a new pastime, or this target’s gonna start shooting back! Come on, you can eat at the table, since you’ve already gotten yourself out of bed. Just hold onto my arm, and I’ll guide you.” He directed Cay around the obstacles, getting him safely seated at the table.

The young man groused softly, “You gonna feed me too, _Mother_?”

“Backsliding already, Brownrider? Food’s on the plate, utensils at the sides as always. Careful of the wine, it’s just above the plate to the right; don’t knock it over.” His voice carefully indifferent, Rin watched anxiously, knowing that Cay needed to be able to do this for himself.

Gentling feeling around for the utensils and the wine, Cay placed the glass just slightly to the left of where it had been originally set, knowing his own reach and afraid of knocking the glass over. “So what’s on the menu for tonight? Smells like... roast bovine.”

“Probably because it _is_ roast bovine. I thought you were ready for something more substantial than invalid food since you aren’t one.” Verrin watched as Cay familiarized himself with the setting, forcing himself not to reach out to help.

Grimacing softly as he realized that he was going to need some help, C’ross sighed in defeat. “I’d cut my own food, but I’d probably end up shredding the mashed tubers or something. Could you take care of the bovine for me then tell me where each of the things are - use the sundial thing you did last time? I can work with that image.”

“No problem.” Rin stood up and moved around the table to stand beside Cay. He cut the meat, then replaced the utensils exactly where they’d been. “There you go. Meat’s at high noon, tubers at late morning, greens at morning. And eat the greens this time! You need them to heal properly.” He returned to his seat to start his own meal.

The young man made a face at the healer’s order to eat his greens. “They’re gross!” he moaned but began to eat as instructed.

Rin laughed helplessly. “And you wonder why I treat you like a child?”

Cay picked up a fork full of tubers and aimed them in the general direction of Verrin’s voice. “Watch it, healer; I’m armed and dangerous - and not afraid to use it!”

The healer snorted. “Yeah, very dangerous. Eat your greens like a good little dragonrider, and I’ll let you have a sweet,” he cooed in a revoltingly sweet voice, trying to ignore how attractive C’ross was, especially now that he was being friendly.

Cay made a face and stuck out his tongue. “If I could see you...” he threatened playfully. “I’d show you just how dangerous my weapon can be,” he exclaimed then snickered at his choice of words.

Gagging noises expressed Rin’s opinion of that quite clearly. “Yeah, right. If you could see, dragonrider, you wouldn’t take a second glance in my direction. As for your weapon, I’ve seen better,” he chuckled evilly.

C’ross pouted. “Guess that means you don’t want to see it after all; guess I’ll just have to chase after a willing green.”

Rin frowned, startled. “Hold on a minute there. Are you saying that _you_ are interested? Until a little bit ago, I had the distinct impression that you couldn’t stand me.”

The brownrider snorted. “And here I thought that _I_ was the blind one!” he exclaimed derisively.

“And what exactly was I supposed to understand interest from? The cursing? Or maybe the variety of objects thrown at my head?” Confused by his own sudden lightheartedness, he frowned again.

Mumbling something obscene, Cay turned his attention back to his plate. “Never mind, forget I said anything,” he muttered, blushing hotly.

Rin stood up and moved around to Cay’s side of the table again. “Don’t want to forget it; I just want to be sure I’m understanding you right,” he admitted softly as he placed a hand over one of Cay’s.

Cay stuck out his chin belligerently. “I. Want. You. That easy for you to understand?” he demanded roughly.

The young healer smiled. “Yeah, that’s pretty clear.” He leaned down and kissed the younger man softly.

Cay gasped as he felt soft lips on his, his hands dropped his utensils, and he automatically reached upwards to the face above him. Moaning softly, he let his fingers wander, mapping out delicate features and soft, soft hair. “You feel beautiful,” he admitted at last, once they’d come up for air.

“You’re the beautiful one. You made me want you, so beautiful, so determined not to give in to the fear. I never thought I could want a dragonrider, but you got past my defenses with your brave smile and your refusal to give up.” He sighed, fingers slowly running over the upturned face of the brownrider.

Cay blushed softly. “It’s the only way I know how to live. You can’t face Thread if you’re afraid, and people depend on us to protect them from harm. This is who I am. Who I was meant to be. I can’t change that, and I can’t give Helioth up; he’s my other half. How can I do anything less?” he replied quietly.

Verrin let a long breath. “That’s what scares me.” He sank down to kneel at Cay’s side. “What you do is so dangerous. We met because you were hurt, but you could as easily have been killed. Every time you go up there, you could get hurt by Thread or flame or simply not come out of _between_. I didn’t want to face that fear every day, but how can I not now?” he sighed.

Softly, hesitantly, the brownrider queried the older man. “What are you saying, healer?”

“I’m saying that somewhere in the last sevendays, I fell in love with you, C’ross. It’s almost funny, isn’t it? The patient is supposed to be the one to become infatuated with the healer, not the other way around,” he laughed a little bitterly.

“Hate to break it to you, healer, but the patient did more than become infatuated. The patient fell in love,” he admitted with a soft sigh.

Rin gaped at Cay wordlessly, opening and closing his mouth several times without anything coming out. “Oh.” He finally managed a single syllable.

“Yeah, oh. Silly, hunh?” he mumbled as he hunched into himself, waiting to be told he’d get over it or some other silly healer platitude.

Verrin reached up to tug Cay’s head down to meet him, kissing the dragonrider thoroughly even as he scrambled up into the younger man’s lap.

Cay pulled back suddenly. “Rin?” he asked quietly, wanting, needing to hear the words since he couldn’t see the other man’s face. It was something he hated bitterly. He _wanted_ to see the man he’d fallen in love with so badly it was an ache.

Rin smiled softly, his hand slowly stroking the soft hair the way he’d wanted to for what seemed so long. “I love you, Cay. I love you more than I thought it was possible to love another person.”

Gasping softly, C’ross yanked the older man’s head down for a long, passionate kiss. “Again. Say it again, please?” he demanded, needing to hear the words he’d desperately wanted to hear for some time now.

“I love you, love you, love you,” he repeated over and over, punctuating each declaration with a kiss. “I love you, and I want you.” Rin twisted in Cay’s lap so he was straddling the other man with their groins pressed together.

Groaning, Cay shoved his groin upwards to further the contact. “Bed, please?” he whimpered. “It’s bad enough I can’t see you - I want to be able to feel you without worrying about falling off a chair.”

Rin chuckled. “Good point.” He stood up and drew Cay to his feet so the dragonrider was standing behind him, arms around his waist and their bodies pressed tightly together.

“Follow me.” He slowly walked toward the bed, enjoying the brush of their bodies with every step.

Moaning, Cay whimpered at the older man. “Anyone ever tell you you tease?”

Rin chuckled, his erection rubbing against Cay’s arm. “Nope, I haven’t had the right inspiration before, brownrider. But I have this really strong desire to make you scream my name tonight.”

He steered C’ross toward the bed, stopping him at the edge. “Well, I’d say we’re both extremely overdressed. I’ve dreamed of unwrapping you like a birthingday gift for so long.” He chuckled softly, laughing at himself. “Let’s hope the reality doesn’t make me come too soon.”

Cay chuckled. “Well, if it does, guess I’ll just have to do something to re-awaken your ‘interest’,” he laughed. “I love your voice, have I told you that?” the younger man husked, changing the subject. “I swear I’ve heard it before,” he continued, moaning as he felt hands begin to undress him slowly.

“Dammit - I want to see you!! I wanna be able to see you as each piece of your clothing falls off. I want to be able to see the face behind the voice. That beautiful, sexy voice that gets me hard at the drop of a pin.

“It was your voice that I clung to in the infirmary - I could hear you from across the invalid weyr, and I knew you were there. It made me feel safe. You make me feel safe... and loved,” C’ross admitted softly.

Rin flinched slightly and bit his lip when C’ross said that he found his voice familiar. Of course he did. They’d talked before Verrin was ever assigned to Babalon, one day when he’d come to the Weyr for a Hatching. It had been a memorable, if not happy, conversation.

~*~*~

It had been mid-morning of a sweltering summer day when the hum of the dragons informed the Weyrfolk of the impending Hatching. Apprentice Healer Verrin and his dragonrider parents, visiting from Fort Weyr to see his younger sister stand, headed toward the Hatching Ground at a more sedate pace than the excited girl.

Sitting on an outcropping of stone, Brownrider C’ross and a few other riders from his wing watched the people walk around the Weyr with a grin and a leer.  He and his friends were soon pointing out the ‘choice’ ones to each other and following them up with a suggestive remark and rating their _candidate_ qualities for bedmate material.

Finally reaching the Hatching Grounds, Verrin looked around, but the Candidates were not yet on the Sands. He did, however, notice some dragonriders watching the crowds, one in particular catching his eye before he looked away, hoping that the rider hadn’t noticed.

It took him a while, but C’ross soon spotted a petite, redheaded man that did more than catch his eye. Excusing himself from the tawdry banter, Cay jumped down, ready to follow the young man the moment he passed by.

Rin’s eyes widened when one of the dragonriders hopped down from his perch, but he refused to turn back and watch him, instead motioning his parents toward the seating.

Weaving his way through the crowds and actually pushing past a few people in order to get close enough, C’ross made sure he was in a position to sit next to the gorgeous redhead who caught his fancy.

Rin watched the dragonrider a little nervously out the corner of his eye.

Managing to get a seat right next to the handsome redhead, who’d become separated from his family, Cay grinned. “Mind if I sit here, beautiful?”

Staring coolly at the dragonrider, Verrin replied, “I don’t own it.” Hoping the pushy brownrider would get the message, he looked away, trying to ignore the heat of the man next to him.

Grinning, C’ross pushed closer to the other man as he pretended to be shoved by the person sitting on the other side of him. “Hmm - oops! Sorry!”

Rin had to laugh finally. “Is that the best you can do, dragonrider? I’ve had more subtle approaches from youngsters in the throes of their first crush.”

Cay grinned happily. “But I bet you turned them all down without so much as cracking a smile - and it worked, didn’t it?”

Chuckling, Verrin shook his head. “I really shouldn’t encourage you.”

“I’m harmless - besides it’s not like I’m asking you to be my weyrmate - yet.”

That pulled a snort from the healer. “Uh huh. I don’t do dragonriders, Dragonrider. Shh, now. I want to see who Impresses.”

C’ross leaned in close and whispered. “Haven’t you heard: Riders give the best ‘rides’.”

“Riders also are ridiculously reckless,” Verrin replied, glaring. “I ought to know.”

“Our recklessness is what keeps Pern alive and viable, healer,” the younger man growled, insulted. “Without dragonriders Pern would wither and die.”

“I’m not denying that. But a little care for your own hides wouldn’t be so terrible, would it? And before you get all defensive, I’m Weyrbred myself, dragonrider.”

“If you’re Weyrbred, healer, you should know that not a single one of us would willingly endanger our dragons - they’re our other halves. We may be reckless at times but not to the extreme that we’d willingly injure the other half of our heart,” the rider replied, moving slightly away, more than a little insulted.

Rin sighed. “But you’re a lot less careful of _yourselves_. I just don’t understand why you all seem to think you’re indestructible.”

“Whatever. Feel free to make all the generalizations you like, healer.... But just so you know, you don’t _know_ the first thing about me, so don’t assume I’m like that.”

“If you say so,” Rin shrugged. “See, it’s better to know the people you chase before you start chasing.” He turned back to the Sands, refusing to admit to himself that he felt a twinge of disappointment.

“Don’t worry - won’t make that mistake again, I promise you!”  Cay decided that he’d prefer the company of his wingmates, who understood him at least, rather than this beautiful but judgmental healer. How could someone like him, a _healer_ , be so damned coldhearted? “It makes me realize I really should stick to my _own kind_ as well. Good day to you, healer.”

Verrin watched the brownrider almost wistfully, wishing the gorgeous man were anything but a dragonrider. “Enjoy the rest of your day.”

C’ross snorted. “Whatever, thanks for the life lesson by the way,” he replied, feeling an ache he damned well didn’t want to feel as he moved away.  “Dammit all, he could have been the _one_ , too,” he whispered softly.

Verrin sighed. “Too close. Much too close. I won’t have a dragonrider in my life, no matter how tempting.”

C’ross sighed dejectedly and went to stand next to his wingmates and friends.  “I always pick the ones that can break my heart.... Am I that much of a sucker? Don’t answer that!”

Once the dragonrider had walked away, the young healer looked around for his parents, suddenly very depressed. “I shouldn’t have come today,” he whispered to himself. When he spotted them, he excused himself through the other guests, moving over to sit with them.

C’ross found his eyes constantly wandering back to the healer. “Damn, damn, damn - stick to your _own_ kind, dragonrider - makes flights easier!” he chastised himself.

Verrin huddled next to his parents, unable to prevent himself from watching the dragonrider. He winced when he met the other man’s eyes and looked away quickly, wondering why the thought of never seeing him again, someone he’d barely met and spoken to, hurt so much.

C’ross cursed and called himself every kind of fool, but he couldn’t leave the other man with nothing but harsh words. Moving back towards the healer, he sucked in his pride. “I’m sorry if I offended you; I didn’t mean to,” he said then turned to walk away again.

“You didn’t.” Rin was unable to stay silent, even though he knew he should. “I was rude, I know. I’m sorry.” He ignored his parents’ curious expressions.

C’ross managed a half smile. “So am I - I shouldn’t have said what I did.”

“It was my fault. I guess you could say I did it on purpose,” he sighed. “Dragonriders make me uneasy. I took that out on you. I’m sorry,” he repeated softly.

“No hard feelings, we just have differing opinions. Guess it’s a good thing we’re fire and water.”

“Yeah.” Verrin smiled sadly. “Thank you though.”

The brownrider grinned again, but it failed to reach his eyes. “You’re welcome. Hope you enjoy the rest of the Hatching, healer.”

Rin opened his mouth to say something, then sighed. “Why couldn’t you have been _anything_ other than a dragonrider?” he whispered.

C’ross, having heard the whisper as he began to walk away, turned slightly.  “Because I was born to serve Pern,” the young man replied with a sad smile as he walked away.

This time Verrin let the brownrider leave, his eyes following him.

~*~*~

Rin knew he’d started falling in love with the brownrider that day. Even if he’d never seen C’ross again, he’d never have forgotten him. When he’d been assigned to the Weyr, he’d wanted to cry, knowing that he’d have to see the beautiful dragonrider again. Now he was in love with Cay, but Cay had no idea that he was the same person who’d made such an idiot of himself that day, and Rin didn’t know how to tell him.

“You are loved, Cay,” he murmured instead. “I love you more than you can imagine. I want you so much, want to be with you, to love you.” He bit back a sigh, knowing C’ross would wonder at his change of mood. “Let me love you now, C’ross,” he begged, slowly reaching for the dragonrider’s clothes to remove them.

“Verrin,” Cay felt the hand on him and intercepted it, bringing it up to his lips and kissing it then placing it over his heart. “This is yours, you know. Never thought I’d fall so hard or so fast for anyone when dragonlust wasn’t involved. But I have. Helioth may still chase greens and the occasional gold, but you’re the only one I want in my bed. The only one I want for... my weyrmate,” he finished shyly, almost glad he couldn’t see at that particular moment.

“I’m yours, healer,” he finished with a faint chuckle, trying to break the heavy mood. “Do with me what you will!”

Rin stared at the other man in open-mouthed shock. “D-did you say ‘weyrmate’?” he demanded, unable to believe his ears. Not giving C’ross a chance to reply, he threw himself at the brownrider, sending them both sprawling across the bed. His mouth moved over Cay’s body, exploring eagerly, almost franticly, tasting every inch of him.

“Love you,” he whispered over and over as he licked and sucked, repeating the words in a fervent chant.

“I want to love you, want you to love me, want us to screw ourselves blind with exhaustion, then start all over again. I want to take you and have you take me so many times we can’t walk straight tomorrow. Jays, how I love you!”

Verrin stripped away the last of their clothing, then draped his naked body over his equally bare lover. He squirmed, hips twisting, feeling their hard cocks rub together, and a long, luxurious groan escaped him.

C’ross groaned softly, drowning in the sensations of touch and smell since he was deprived of sight. Everything felt _more_. More intense, more pleasurable, more perfect - just like his lover.

“Yes,” he managed to gasp out at last, “weyrmate. Want you mine, Verrin - think you can handle having a dragonrider for a mate? It won’t be easy - others... well, I’ve been told I’m reckless and foolish and take unnecessary risks. But I don’t - Helioth and I - we do what we have to to protect Pern. Can you live with that?” _Please, oh please, say you can live with that, because I don’t think I can give you up and stay sane, and I know I can’t give up being a dragonrider,_ he thought desperately.

“Have at me, healer - I like the sound of your plans. Can’t wait to return the favor!” he moaned softly, switching subjects yet again.

Rin bit back a moan of misery, knowing that C’ross was referring to Verrin’s own words that sharding day they’d met. “I... I’ll die with fear every time you fly Thread,” he admitted, trying to explain his feelings. “I know that you’re well-trained and that it’s what you do, but jays, Cay, it’s so easy for something to go wrong and for someone to get hurt.

“It’s not that you’re reckless; it’s that dragonmen seem to think they’re invincible.” He sighed softly. “But I would never try to stop you from doing what you have to or ask you to do something else. I _will_ ask you to be careful though. I’d find it hard to live without my heart.”

He took a deep breath, dismayed at the conversation. He didn’t know if C’ross would forgive him for the deception when he found out who he was, but just in case, Rin wanted this night to remember. “I want you to take me first, Cay. Want to feel you deep inside me,” he whispered, hands running over Cay’s back. “Where do you keep the oil?”

“Bedside table drawer,” the younger man moaned at the heat he heard in the healer’s words as well as the love and concern. Something was niggling at the back of his brain though; what Rin had said about being invincible - he’d heard that before, but where?

“Rin - shells, I want nothing more than to be in you - but, lover - I _can’t_ see. You... you’re gonna have to ride me so I don’t hurt you or send us tumbling of the bed or something equally foolish. When my eyes get better, then I’ll fly you every way to rest day, but until then... I’m sorry, sweetheart, but you’re gonna have to do the work.”

Rin laughed shakily. “I’m not sorry. I _like_ the idea of riding you, being on top of you while you fill me so full...” He whimpered softly, pawing through the contents of the drawer, making faint sounds of surprise at some of the things he found and promising himself to investigate more thoroughly some other time.

He finally found the oil and opened it. “Not going to do _all_ the work though,” he said huskily. He took Cay’s hand and coated it thoroughly with the oil, then brought it around to his ass, pressing it against himself. “I’m sure you know what to do with that,” he almost purred, squirming and rubbing his ass against C’ross’ fingers.

“Oh, I think I can handle this part of things,” Cay chuckled as he slowly pushed a single digit inside the warm, welcoming cavern under it. Hearing Rin’s whimpered moan of delight acted as a goad on his own libido, and he felt himself harden even more.

“So hot - like fire-warmed sisal. I can feel every inch of you, Rin. It feels wonderful,” the younger man sighed happily. Withdrawing the finger, he pushed in two this time and felt Rin squirm as well as heard him. “Like that, hunh?” he chuckled as he scissored his fingers back and forth, opening and stretching his lover wide. “How many more fingers do you want, Rin?” he asked softly as he brushed against his lover’s prostate, eliciting a loud whimper.

“Shells - one of these days, when I can see again, I’m going to do this again. I’m going to finger fuck you and make you come just so I can see your expressions, hear these noises all over again,” the brownrider promised hotly.

Rin whined eagerly, his ass pushing back as he rode the two fingers inside him. “Want you, not your sharding fingers!” he snarled, his own fingers busy as they scooped up more oil and applied it to the rigid cock pressing into his belly. The fingers inside him brushed his prostate again, and he wailed, his body convulsing at the lightning flash of pleasure.

“Please,” he begged. “Need you so bad....” He broke off to kiss Cay hungrily, his tongue plunging inside the brownrider’s mouth, penetrating him as he wanted to be penetrated. He wiggled his ass, whimpering at the loss when C’ross removed his fingers, then sat up.

He paused to stare down at C’ross, memorizing the expression of pleasure on his face, then reached back to steady the brownrider’s erection. He rose up onto his knees, then lowered himself onto that rigid cock, a lush moan of joy escaping him as he was filled. He came to rest with his ass pressed to the other man’s pelvis, and his back arched, taking Cay even deeper.

“Love you,” he said again, slowly beginning to rise, going slowly to draw it out as long as possible.

“Jays, so good!” C’ross moaned softly as he felt himself engulfed in tight heat. “Love you too, Rin - my healer, my love,” the brownrider moaned as he let his hands drift downwards, seeking the other man’s erection blindly.

Finding it, C’ross began to pump in time with his lover’s movements, echoing the sensation of taking and being taken. “Gonna need you forever, Verrin. I know I will,” he husked softly.

Rin moaned softly, aroused more than he could ever remember being in his life and desperately afraid that he’d lose Cay when the dragonrider found out who he was. “Love you, Cay, always will,” he vowed, his pace slowly increasing until he was moving as fast as he could. He clenched his ass around the thick shaft filling him on the down stroke, knowing that the sensation of his muscles rippling around C’ross would make it even better for his lover.

“Come for me,” he rasped, “fill me, make me yours.”

Crying out softly as his flesh was massaged and teased, Cay felt his control shred. Slamming his hips upwards, he began to actively participate in their loving, knowing he was close to the edge. Feeling his body tighten, Cay worked harder and harder on Verrin’s erection, wanting them to come together.

Senses and sensation all combined to drive him over the edge, sound, touch, scent all driving the dragonrider mad with need. With a strangled cry, his hips bucked once, twice, and he inundated his lover with creamy streams of his seed. “Verrin!” he wailed quietly, feeling his world shatter and reassemble in a new picture.

Rin cried out as he felt Cay fill him, and the sensation was the final impetus he needed to topple him into ecstasy as well. He writhed madly on top of his lover, his back arching as the pleasure radiated from his center to his fingertips, then slumped forward, only his quivering arms braced against the brownrider’s shoulders holding him up.

“Jays, you’re incredible,” he gasped out, still panting for breath. “Never felt so good before. Never loved anyone like this before,” he admitted.

“Neither have I,” Cay admitted with a quiet sigh. Sometime during their lovemaking, all the pieces had fallen into place.

“Not bad for a flyboy you never wanted to have sit next to you, eh, healer?” he chuckled softly, hands searching for Verrin’s head and pulling it upwards for a tender kiss. “Glad you changed your mind about me, gorgeous,” he whispered gently.

Verrin gasped, his heart in his throat at Cay’s words. “I... I wanted to tell you, Cay; I just didn’t know how,” he admitted miserably, climbing off the dragonrider and sitting beside him rather than nestling on top of him as he wanted.

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry for what I said, for not being braver then, for not telling you now,” he finished miserably, unhappiness clear in his voice. “I’m still afraid, for all the reasons I gave you then, but I’ll be afraid for you whether I’m here with you or not. I’d rather be afraid with you than without you. If you still want me,” he added in small voice.

Reaching out for the body he knew was near him, C’ross found and pulled Verrin on top of him. “This is where you belong,” he told the older man with a firm voice. “Here with me.”

“I love you, Verrin, would have loved you if you turned out to be as ugly as a watchwher and as ancient as the mountains. That’s not going to change. That you were _brave_ enough to work with me, fall in love with me despite your fears, it means everything to me. I’m not going to stop loving you just because you’re the handsome, gorgeous, idiotic healer I met last month. If anything, it makes me even happier. I _knew_ you were the one, sweetheart, from the moment I laid eyes on you,” the younger man confessed quietly. “Now I’m _never_ letting you go.”

Rin lay on top of the dragonrider, slowly relaxing as it sank in that Cay wasn’t angry, wasn’t holding his words against him, that Cay still wanted him, loved _him_. He shifted a little to the side so that he was lying half beside and half atop C’ross, able to pet the exposed parts of his body.

“I’m glad,” he said finally. “I didn’t know I could love anyone this much. I don’t ever want you to let me go.” He chuckled suddenly. “But won’t it be hard for you to drill with me attached to you once your vision clears up?”

C’ross chuckled softly. “Yeah, well, I guess I’ll have to let you go to do your healer stuff while I go and do my dragonrider stuff,” the younger man grinned up at his lover. “Not that Helioth would mind you riding him - I know I sure as shells enjoyed it.

“And I’m not gonna let you go. You’re gonna take a few candlemarks, and I’m gonna have Helioth bring up a weyrling so you can move your stuff up here. You’re stuck with me now. I’m not letting you get away from me again,” the brownrider growled softly. “ _My_ healer.”

“I almost wish I _could_ go with you when you drill,” Verrin whispered. “It scares me to watch you.” He saw Cay’s uneasy expression and hastened to reassure him. “I’m not going to try to stop you. I couldn’t, and I’d only make us both miserable. I’ll try not to whine at you, really I will, but I can’t hold it in all the time. Please don’t ask me to.”

He sighed. “Never mind that now though. I’m not going to let my fears ruin this. You asked me to be your weyrmate. We should be celebrating, laughing and planning to break the bed, not listening to me whine. So that’s what we’re going to do. I’m going to take a bath and get you to scrub my back, then I’m going to get everything I own and bring it home.

“I love you, Brownrider C’ross.” He brushed a gentle kiss across his mate’s lips.

“Love you too, healer worrywart,” C’ross teased after he’d returned the kiss with interest. “And I’ll try not to worry you too much once I go back up - but that’s not gonna be for a while so... we can consider this an extended weyrmating vacation.

“Help me into the bathing pool so I can wash your back... and maybe make love to you there? ‘Cause when you get back from moving in, it’ll be your turn. I want you to fly me too, Rin, okay?”

Rin shivered eagerly at that image. “It will be my pleasure, Cay. Well, yours too, I hope.” He smiled quickly. “You’ve definitely inspired me to pack and move _quickly_ ,” he laughed. “Do you think the weyrling would notice if I tossed him onto his dragon to make him move faster?”

He led his weyrmate to the pool, and they both settled into the steaming water with sighs of contentment. He handed the sponge and the soap to Cay and turned around to brace his arms against the edge, looking forward to having the brownrider’s hands on him. He practically purred with contentment as Cay scrubbed him, then turned to return the favor. Once every tingling inch of their bodies was clean, he again turned to face the edge and bent forward slightly so his rump was pushed against C’ross. He wiggled it slightly and spoke over his shoulder.

“You said something about taking me in the bath?”

Cay smiled as he first lifted Verrin up onto the carved stone seat in the pool, bringing the older man out of the water all the way to his thighs. C’ross then felt his way up the older man’s spine with his lips. “You’re insatiable,” the brownrider chuckled softly in the healer’s ear before biting down on the succulent flesh a moment. “And tasty too!”

Letting his hands slide around to the front of the healer, C’ross began to massage the older man’s chest, his fingers tweaking Verrin’s nipples with each pass of his hands. The throaty, little whimpers that his lover made only goaded C’ross into playing more, denying them both satisfaction as he manipulated every square inch of flesh he could reach.

“So responsive,” the brownrider moaned as he let his cock slide between the lush buttocks of his lover, just letting its hot length stay there, pressing up with a delicate, teasing sensation. “So hot and sexy.”

C’ross’s right hand slid down to cup Verrin’s own erection and, finding moisture there, brought it up to his lips for a taste. “Sweet,” the younger man sighed. “You taste like cream. I love cream.”

Letting his hand flow down Verrin’s body again, C’ross repeated his actions, this time to bring his sticky fingers up to Rin’s lips. “Taste how sweet you are, healer,” he purred in the older man’s ear. “Taste yourself on me.”

Rin whimpered and parted his lips helplessly, letting Cay’s fingers inside where he licked and sucked each digit, tasting himself. He suckled on the brownrider’s fingers as if they were his cock, and he thrust his ass back against his lover, rubbing feverishly against the rigid shaft pressed along the cleft. He whined around the fingers in his mouth, one hand moving down to clutch at C’ross’ ass and try to pull him closer.

Unable to bear the teasing any longer, he finally released Cay’s fingers and wailed, “Fuck me!”

“Thought you’d never ask,” Cay chuckled as he positioned himself and slid into the warm heat waiting for him.  Moaning softly, he rested his head on Verrin’s back once he hit bottom, pressing tiny kisses on the skin.  “You feel so good, baby, like I was made to be here.  Shells, I love you,” C’ross husked.

Beginning a gentle rocking motion, C’ross smiled at the tiny, breathless groans he heard.  “I can’t wait until I can _see_ what I look like sliding into you,” the brownrider growled as his one hand ventured down to where they were joined in order to feel himself slipping in and out of his lover’s body.

Rin howled at the overwhelming sensation of Cay’s fingers tracing the sensitive, stretched flesh of his opening. He bucked up frantically, trying to force Cay deeper inside him, whining wordlessly, lost in the pleasure of the brownrider’s touch. His head tossed from side to side, and he reached desperately for his cock, needing to come.

“That’s it, gorgeous, scream for me. I want the whole weyr to hear how I’ve claimed you and made you mine,” the brownrider purred, hand teasing the sensitive opening even as his cock worked faster and faster, constantly slamming in and brushing against Verrin’s prostate.

“Shells, babe, you’re gonna melt my mind here,” the younger man groaned as he felt his balls begin to draw up into his body, heralding his approaching climax. Searching his lover’s back with his mouth, C’ross found Verrin’s shoulder and nipped it lightly. “Come for me, Rin, scream it so loud that the watchdragon on the heights will hear you.”

The healer couldn’t have held back his climax at that moment if his life had depended on it. He did scream, so loudly that he strained his throat and would be speaking with a slight rasp for the next few days. His body tightened around Cay’s, rippling and convulsing, seeking to draw his climax from him in turn.

“YES!!” C’ross bellowed as he felt Verrin tighten around him and prompt his own release. A few more thrusts then the brownrider shuddered as gouts of hot seed filled the older man. Collapsing onto Verrin’s body, C’ross hugged the healer tight.

“Can’t wait ‘til these bandages come off and I can see you find your release. Jays, that has to be the hottest sight on Pern, you coming undone,” the younger man purred, rubbing his cheek against Rin’s back.

“Think you look better,” Rin murmured, turning around so that he was facing his lover. “But we’d better get out of this bath before we both shrivel up and wash away,” he added with a faint chuckle. “Once we get dressed, you can get that weyrling up here, and we can go pack up my stuff. You can supervise.” He grinned, knowing Cay would be dying to poke around in his belongings and would be frustrated by his inability to see them. He looked forward to showing the things that mattered to him to Cay when his vision was back to normal.

C’ross pouted.  “No fair, I can’t see if there’s any clothes that I’d want to borrow or anything until these bandages come off,” he grumbled good-naturedly as he carefully hoisted himself out of the bath and waited for Verrin to hand him a towel.

Catching the older man when he made to wrap the towel around Cay’s waist, the brownrider pulled him up against his body.  “I love you.  Thank you for being courageous enough to take me on.”

Rin wrapped his arms around Cay’s waist instead and leaned into him. “It wasn’t really courageous, you know. I just finally realized that I was going to love you whether I was with you or not, and I would be afraid for you every time you went up either way. The only thing that would change would be whether we were together the rest of the time and happy. When I thought about it that way, it was just plain dumb to stay away.”

He raised his head to look up searchingly into the sightless gaze. “I’m just glad _you_ were willing to give me a chance after how horrible I was to you at the Hatching.”

“Courageous _and_ smart,” C’ross contradicted quietly but firmly.  “And you were honest, Verrin.  I may not have liked it, but I respected it.  I’m just glad you changed your mind.  I couldn’t imagine my life without you in it, now.  You’ve captured me, healer.  I’m yours for life.”

“Likewise, Cay. You claimed me, so you’re stuck with me now,” Rin said happily, hugging his mate.

 


End file.
